Dental articulator



J. W. TALIAFERRO.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. 19!!)- 1,354,454, Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

JAMES W. TALIAFERRO, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

DENTAL AR'TICULATOR.

Application filed October 30, 1919.

To all whom it may 0072 cam e it known that I, JAMES TV. TALIAFERRO, a citizen of the United States, residing Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashin ton, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Dental Articulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dental articulators; and its object is the provision of an inexpensively constructed and conveniently operated adjustable device of this charac ter whereby the regulating of the teethin the making of an artificial denture is facilitated.

' With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, F igure 1 is a side elevational view of an articulator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

In carrying out my invention I provide a frame comprising hingedly connected upper and lower jaw members.

The lower jaw member comprises a base element 5 having rearwardly and upwardly extending standard elements 6 which are joined intermediate their heights and formed integral with a transversely arranged bar element 7. The upper aw consists of two superposed elements 8 and 9. The jaw element 8 is provided with a seat 10 for the element 9 and to which it is secured in adjusted positions by means of a binding screw 11 extending through a longitudinal slot 12 of the upper part 9 and engaging in'a threaded hole 13 in the part 8.

his jaw part 8 is provided at its opposite sides with upwardly projecting lugs 14:, and also with depending ribs 15 having axially alined holes 16 to receive a pivotal pin 17 which is engageable in holes 18 and 18 provided in the standards at different elevations. 19 represents a screw extending horizontally through a block element 21 of the jaw part 9.

The screw 19 is secured against axial movement by a screw stud 22 secured in Specification of Letters Patent.

suitably present 'tion in which it Patented Sept. 28, 1920. Serial No. 334,395.

block 20 acting in a peripheral groove 23 of the screw. The screw 19 serves to adjustably move the jaw part 9 to advance or retract the same, and cooperates with the screw 11 and slot 12 to guide such jaw part and prevent any lateral displacement of the same.

24 represents a screw extending through a threaded hole in the bar element 7 of the lower jaw to take against the under side of the part 8 of the upper jaw for the purpose of supporting the latter parallel to or in se lected angular relations with respect to the base element of the lower jaw.

Artificial dentures are connected to the upper and lower jaws of the articulator by plaster as usual. The upper jaw is hingedly connected to the lower jaw by employing the pin 17 in the upper or lower holes 18 or 18 and is then regulated by means of the screw 24. Vfhen this is accomplished the operator by means of screw 19 adjusts the uper jaw part 9 backward or forward to the teeth of the upper denture to those of the lower denture, whereupon the jaw part 9 is locked to its complementary part 8 by means of the screw 11. The teeth of either denture may be most conveniently inspected or regulated by swinging the upper jaw back into the posiis indicated by broken lines X in Fig. 2.

The advantages of my invention reside principally in the convenience to the operator in the performance of his work in articulating the teeth and in the regulating devices for adjusting the positions of the upper jaw both horizontally and vertically with respect to the lower jaw.

he provision of the spaced holes 18, 18 taken in connection with the regulating screw 24 affords means to position the upper jaw to accommodate work of various heights.

The adjusting screw 19 not only furnishes means to accurately set the movable jaw element 9 but also serves with the screw 11 to guide such jaw element.

lVhat I claim, is

A dental articulator having a lower jaw, an upper jaw comprising two superposed members, a hinge connection between the lower of said members and the lower 1aw,

said members being each provided with an apertured block element, an adjusting screw engaging in the block elements of both members for efiecting horizontal movements of the upper member in forwardly and rear wardly directions, and means for securing this 22nd 

